Runner Up

Consumer Product Award

Core77 Design Awards 2017

Daydream View

Daydream View is a headset and motion controller for experiencing high quality, immersive virtual reality (VR). Simply place a Daydream-ready phone into the headset to get started. Daydream View's lightweight, durable headset is made from soft, breathable fabric to help you stay comfortable - and it fits over most eyeglasses.

The unique construction method of the headset reduces weight and keeps the amount of hard plastic parts to a minimum. Engineered and designed for comfort, the soft, form-fitted facepad rests gently on the face. It is hand washable, so you'll be able to keep the headset clean to share with your friends. The inviting and approachable design is intended to appeal to users beyond early adopters, opening VR experiences to casual users, millennials and women. Additionally, it accommodates different phone thicknesses and even phones in cases.After placing a Daydream-ready phone in the headset, an NFC chip embedded in the front door will tell it to launch the Daydream app. A pair of capacitive rubber nubs on the frame will help the phone detect its position and automatically center the image. When not in use, the motion controller fits into a slot on the inside of the headset.

Daydream View with Pixel and Motion Controller

Daydream View and Pixel Phone

Daydream View's Motion Controller

Controller Storage

Daydream View with Pixel Phone

Snow, Slate and Crimson

Daydream View's Facepad

Daydream View's Facepad

Design StatementDaydream View is designed for an easy in and out VR experience. After placing a Daydream-ready phone in the headset, an NFC chip embedded in the front door will tell it to launch the Daydream app. A pair of capacitive rubber nubs on the frame will help the phone detect its position and automatically center the image.Smartphone enabled VR makes the headset inexpensive - a Daydream-ready phone brings the high-performance compute, display and sensors.Additionally, the headset is 30% lighter compared to similar devices currently on the market. The six layered, soft and form-fitted facepad is hand washable and gently rests on your face. The price at launch in November 2016 was $79. With its smart internal sensors the companion controller provides smooth tracking and movement. An adjustable volume button on the side lets you adjust the volume. When not in use, the controller fits neatly into a slot on the inside of the headset.

The Design Story The story is driven by the choice of material. Inspired by the clothing and shoe industry, the exterior heathered fabric brings out the appeal to casual users, millennials and women. Daydream View is an all soft VR headset with only the internal frame made of PC ABS to keep the lenses at a correct distance to the phone display. Current VR devices on the market are heavy, made primarily out of plastic, intimidating from a setup perspective, and don't evoke the desire to be head worn.The durable headset is made from multiple layers of soft, breathable fabric and foam to help improve comfort - and it fits over most eyeglasses. The unique construction method of the headset reduces weight and keeps the amount of hard plastic parts to a minimum. Engineered and designed for comfort, the compression molded, form-fitted facepad is made from four layers of open cell foam and two layers of knitted polyester fabric. An hydrophobic coating helps to keep the headset clean. Daydream View is intended for everyone, especially millennials, women and casual users, with primary users being premium-tier Android user with interest in VR.

The versatile motion controller has only four buttons: An App and a home button, a large trackpad and volume controls on the side. Its simple form language makes the controller intuitive and accessible to everyone not just VR gamers and enthusiasts.

When designing Daydream View, the goal was to reduce the amount of hard plastic parts and keep the weight under 220g to improve comfort. We worked closely with clothing manufacturers to construct the headset. The manufacturing process is similar to how sports shoes are made. With the potential for the fabric story to expand as a concept playing with color and material, three different color options are available: Slate, Snow and Crimson.